Even in times like these, we can still be thankful
Since the way most of us are keeping in touch with each other now is through social media, I got to thinking about all the things I love that my friends share on the internet.
I know it’s a time of uncertainty and fear. I know there are people who are out of jobs and people who are getting sick. But I also know that, as strange as it is to say, there are still lots of things to be thankful for.
So here is a list of people in and around our community that I’m friends with on social media, and why I’m thankful for their social media presence.
Kat Hanson — Kat always posts the most fun photos of her family, especially her daughter Cyan and their dog Duck. They spend a lot of time outdoors and Kat’s photos always bring a smile to my face. They’re full of laughter and exuberance and sunshine.
Mike Hudson — Mike is a teacher at Darlington and his posts are always funny but science-y and educational. I love seeing what new projects or plants he and his students are working on.
Brad Reeder — Brad has been posting tons of beautiful outdoor photos recently, especially of the Berry College campus. He goes on these morning walks and takes stunning photos of the sunrise or just trails or the trees. This is especially appreciated since I’m never up early enough to see the sun come up. I’m not what you’d call a morning person.
Haley Pyle — Like me, Haley is a huge fan of good country music and she’s always sharing photos and memories of concerts or her favorite musicians ... such as Vince Gill.
Jason Kadum — I can always count on Kadum to post great photos of the places he’s eating or a beautiful golf course somewhere.
Nathan Green — He’s the owner of Southern Tile Co. and he posts really funny observations about life OR he posts the most beautiful photos of tiled home interiors and they make me want to have my house look exactly like his photos.
Justin Strickland and Terra Turner — The two runners are always posting photos from their races. Sometimes it’s their winners’ medals or their blistered feet or the scenic courses. They don’t just run 5Ks and 10Ks. They run much longer distances. But they always inspire me to WISH I was the type of person who ran more. I may get back to it one day.
Virginia Harman — She (and many other friends) always post about animals in need. I appreciate their dedication to try to find homes for animals that have been abused or neglected or who simply need a loving home. This is tireless work and there are folks in our community who spend all their time and resources doing it.
They are helping Rome and Floyd County more than you realize.
Kristen Haynes — Kristen tries to bring beauty into homes all over our community by decorating them or by repainting or refinishing furniture (or as she calls it, reimagining). I love when she posts before-andafter photos of old, neglected or even discarded furniture that has found new beauty and new life with a little elbow grease and Kristen’s creative eye.
Dede Putman and Gale Dougherty — These women always fill their timelines with the most incredible flowers and plants from their own yards. You can tell they each put a lot of love into their gardens. They post the most colorful flowers and trees. Sometimes the occasional cat or even a wild turkey will make its way into Dede’s photos.
Andi Rouse Beyer and Monica Shepperd — They, and other local beekeepers, are always keeping us updated on what their bees are doing. They are passionate about pollinators and about educating the community on their importance.
Stu Mcfab — Another fellow music lover, Stu is always posting great old songs and songwriters.
Erin Elrod — Erin is the county clerk and one of the great things she does is post about people and projects associated with Floyd County. I don’t realize how much I DON’T know about how our county works till I start reading a lot of her posts and it really helps me understand how this county is run.
Ben Winkelman — Ben Winkelman is one of the funniest guys you will ever meet. His posts might be about wildlife or the outdoors or just humorous observations. But they’re always uplifting and make me laugh.
Cody Folsom and Aaron Ward — I can always count on great hunting photos from these guys. This is your camo fix for the day.
And they’re both hilarious. Aaron posts photos from his smoker/grill that will make your mouth water.
Dusty Dowdy — You want fishing photos? Dusty’s got ‘em for ya. It’s his passion, and his posts showing the places he fishes and all the fish he catches will make you wish you were on the water somewhere. They’re like a little vacation for your brain.
Tiffany Fuller — Tiffany is a teacher at West End Elementary and often posts about cool teaching tools she uses with her own sons as well as gardening, beekeeping and all sorts of handy tips for parents and teachers.
I appreciate each and every one of them for the cool things they share with me and with everyone else. All of this is to say BE THANKFUL for the things we still have and for the people who still share their lives with us.